Properties and Performance of TiO2/ZrO2 Coatings Prepared by Laser-assisted Micro-arc Oxidation

WU Guolong; CHEN Xianghui; WANG Ye; YIN Yanyi; YAO Jianhua

doi:10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2025.15.016

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Surface Technology ›› 2025, Vol. 54 ›› Issue (15) : 176-188. DOI: 10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2025.15.016

Technology and Application

Properties and Performance of TiO₂/ZrO₂ Coatings Prepared by Laser-assisted Micro-arc Oxidation

WU Guolong^{1, 2}, CHEN Xianghui^{1, 2}, WANG Ye^{1, 2}, YIN Yanyi^{1, 2}, YAO Jianhua^{1, 2, *}

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Abstract

Micro-arc oxidation (MAO) is a widely used technique to enhance the corrosion resistance of substrates. However, it often leads to a significant reduction in the overall mechanical properties of the materials, which greatly limits its application in marine engineering. To address this issue, laser irradiation was introduced into the MAO process to investigate the effects of laser-assisted MAO (LAMAO) on characteristics and corrosion/mechanical properties of the coating. The LAMAO method was employed, where laser irradiation was synchronized with the MAO process, to in-situ fabricate a ZrO_2/TiO₂ composite coating on the surface of Ti6Al4V alloy. A high-speed camera was used to capture the optical information of plasma discharge on the substrate surface in real-time, allowing for the study of the effect of laser irradiation on the discharge behavior during MAO. The morphology and elemental composition of the coating were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The corrosion resistance of the sample was evaluated with Mott-Schottky curves, potentiodynamic polarization curves, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), while the mechanical properties were assessed through room-temperature tensile testing. The laser-assisted MAO process enhanced the overall discharge intensity in the MAO region, with the area ratio of discharge regions relative to the processing area increasing from 14.37% to 18.46%. Additionally, the process improved the discharge uniformity and significantly reduced the occurrence of large arc spots that caused coating defects. The area ratio of large arc spots in the total discharge region decreased from 32.78% to 11.93%. These improvements in discharge behavior were critical for achieving a more uniform and defect-free coating, which was essential for enhancing both corrosion resistance and mechanical properties. Compared with MAO coatings, LAMAO coatings exhibited higher density, lower porosity and defect density, and a substantial increase in the content of the toughening phase ZrO₂. The incorporation of ZrO₂, a material known for its toughening properties, significantly enhanced the mechanical integrity of the coating while maintaining its corrosion-resistant characteristics. The LAMAO samples showed significantly higher polarization resistance, internal dense layer resistance, and impedance modulus compared with other samples, indicating superior corrosion resistance. These electrochemical results suggested that the LAMAO coatings acted as an effective barrier against corrosive environments, thereby reducing the likelihood of localized corrosion. In terms of mechanical properties, LAMAO samples demonstrated enhanced tensile strength, elongation after fracture, yield strength, and dimple characteristics compared with MAO samples. The improved tensile properties were attributed to the higher density and reduced defect density of the LAMAO coatings, providing better mechanical support and resistance to deformation under stress. In conclusion, the laser-assisted MAO process improves the discharge uniformity during MAO, reduces coating defects, and promotes the formation and transformation of the toughening phase. As a result, the corrosion and tensile properties of the samples are significantly enhanced. These findings highlight the potential of LAMAO as an advanced surface treatment technique for materials used in demanding environments, such as marine engineering, where both corrosion resistance and mechanical integrity are critical. Future research may focus on further optimizing the LAMAO process parameters to tailor the coating properties for specific applications and exploring the long-term durability of LAMAO-treated materials in real-world conditions.

Key words

micro-arc oxidation / laser composite / titanium alloy / corrosion resistance / tensile properties

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WU Guolong, CHEN Xianghui, WANG Ye, YIN Yanyi, YAO Jianhua. Properties and Performance of TiO₂/ZrO₂ Coatings Prepared by Laser-assisted Micro-arc Oxidation[J]. Surface Technology. 2025, 54(15): 176-188 https://doi.org/10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2025.15.016

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Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (U22A20199, U2130122); Equipment Pre-Research Joint Fund Project of the Ministry of Education (8091B022215); The Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province (LQ24E050017)